Mahmoud al-Zahar, co-founder of Hamas and a member of the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip, on Saturday night told a Hamas assembly in Gaza that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is committing crimes against humanity with his recent actions in the Gaza Strip, Israel Radio reported.
On Thursday, the Palestinian Authority announced it would no longer be paying Israel for the electricity it provides to the Gaza Strip, in a move that is certain to increase the suffering of local residents.
Israel supplies Gaza with about 30% of its electricity—125 Megawatts—through ten lines, at a cost of about $11 million a month, which Israel takes out of the taxes it collects on behalf of the PA.
Al-Zahar declared that should the PA turn off the lights in Gaza’s hospitals and schools, “Allah would turn off the light in their eyes and disconnect the electricity from their hearts.
“We will not sell out our faith for an electric bill,” Al-Zahar vowed, confirming that Hamas would rather see Gaza Arabs die as a result of the lack of electric service than consider accepting PA rule in the strip.
In June, 2007, after heavy fighting, Hamas won control over the Gaza Strip from the PA. The Battle of Gaza was a climax in the Fatah–Hamas conflict, centered on the struggle for power, after Fatah lost the parliamentary elections of 2006. Hamas fighters took control of the Gaza Strip and removed Fatah officials—throwing some of them of Gaza rooftops. At least 118 people were killed and more than 550 wounded during the fighting.